The English group has long pioneered a joined-up approach to learning and assessment that gets the most from every minute in the classroom.
Educators have often treated assessment and learning as separate activities, but our Integrated Learning and Assessment (ILA) approach helps teachers to combine them seamlessly.
In 2025, we published a study summarising decades of research that shows ILA is a highly effective teaching approach that gets results.
It shows that providing learners with regular evidence of their progress and actionable feedback is the most effective way to support language learning success. It helps teachers to build a clear, ongoing picture of student ability and, most importantly, informs the next steps for teachers and learners.
Our ILA offer helps teachers put these processes at the heart of their work by supporting them from lesson planning through to teaching and follow-up after lessons are over.
Drawing on teachers’ knowledge and expertise
Our approach builds on a key strength: the relationships we have with teachers, who are stakeholders and decision-makers in the development of new products and services. The rich knowledge and expertise that teachers share about ILA help shape our approach to meet the needs of what they and their students require.
AI-supported learning
AI-assisted technologies play a supporting role in ILA. We are creating digital tools to enable teachers to personalise their students’ learning more effectively. These digital tools assess skill gaps and suggest tailored content for them, offering personalised practice for reading and listening skills, as well as targeted tutoring.
Not the end of traditional exams
While integrated learning and assessment is a highly effective classroom approach, it does not spell the end of traditional end-of-course exams. For learners, being able to prove their skills in line with internationally recognised standards, such as the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), will always remain a high priority. That’s where our English exams are so beneficial because they are recognised by more than 28,000 organisations around the world.
Four steps for integrated learning and assessment in the classroom
1
Set clear learning objectives Define and share clear learning objectives with learners at the beginning of a course or lesson.
2
Collect evidence of progress Collecting evidence of progress against the learning objectives is essential, but it does not necessarily mean formal assessments.
3
Provide actionable feedback Providing targeted, actionable feedback helps learners to understand where their learning was successful, and how they can perform better.
4
Provide tailored follow-up Tailored follow-up, such as personalised learning approaches for groups of individuals or for whole classes, is essential to successful integrated learning and assessment.
© Cambridge University Press & Assessment, 2025